Quality Specialist

Smurfit Westrock•Knoxville, TN

127d•Onsite

About The Position

This role offers the opportunity to support quality and safety operations in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, ensuring products meet strict food safety, regulatory, and customer standards. The position plays a key role in inspections, audits, and continuous improvement initiatives while partnering closely with leadership to resolve quality issues. It provides hands-on experience with quality systems, compliance standards (SQF, HACCP, ISO), and process optimization. Candidates will develop strong technical, analytical, and communication skills while contributing to a culture focused on safety, efficiency, and operational excellence.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
Experience in a manufacturing environment.
Ability to read and write instructions and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating procedures, and maintenance manuals.
Basic reading skills with strong mathematical ability.
Intermediate computer skills (email, databases, word processing, spreadsheets, etc.).
Ability to work overtime as needed, including during peak periods.
Strong communication skills with professionalism, tact, and sensitivity.
Ability to read and understand specifications, blueprints, and regulatory standards, and apply practical solutions.
Ability to multitask effectively.

Nice To Haves

Project management experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Execute job duties in a safe and efficient manner.
Create and support a positive safety culture through proactive engagement.
Ensure compliance of all employees and processes with food safety and quality regulations (SQF, HACCP), as well as ISO standards.
Support all aspects of the quality system, including establishing, training, and auditing processes to achieve required quality metrics.
Inspect in-process products using measurement calipers.
Perform Acceptable Quality Limit (AQL) inspections of raw materials, in-process audits, and final inspections to ensure quality standards are met.
Communicate all quality issues or failures to management.
Organize offline inspection activities, including documentation and inspection criteria.
Document all product and process non-conformities in the Quality Management System.
Provide support in resolving customer quality concerns.
Participate in annual refresher training on quality and SQF topics.
Maintain work area in compliance with 5S standards.
Work effectively in a fast-paced environment and complete tasks in a timely manner.
Follow all applicable policies, procedures, and instructions.
Participate in continuous improvement initiatives, corrective actions, safety events, and training.
Perform other related duties as assigned.